Fuse switch



T. B. BASH FUSE SWITCH `Ian. 9, 1934.

Filed March 16. 1925 @Wfl/7 W W. o Z

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Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to electric switches, commonly known as fuseswitches, particularly designed for high tension electric current. Insuch switches there is a fuse cartridge with a fusible element whichwill blow or disrupt whenever there is a surge in the line.

The switch also contemplates the provision of a plug and a socket. Thesocket is fastened to the cross arm or other suitable support and it hastwo contacts complementary to the two contacts on the plug which carriesthe fuse cartridge and which is insertable into the socket to completethe circuit. Generically all this is old but prior to my inventionwhenever the fuse blew the gases were expelled from the bottom of thesocket and, not infrequently, the operator was dangerously burned. Withmy invention, however, the gases will be expelled through the bottom orfree end of the plug below the hand grip so that danger of burning thelineman will be entirely eliminated.

The novelty of the invention will be better understood by reference tothe following description in connection with the accompanying drawing,in which Fig. 1 is a cross sectional View through the switch showing theparts in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional View through the switch at rightangles to the sectional View shown in Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a perspective view through the plug, the fuse element beingshown partly in elevation, and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the switch socket.

The switch socket 1 and the plug 2 are made of insulating material. Thesocket is provided with openings 3 and 4 for the reception of screws orbolts so that the socket member may be fastened to a cross arm or othersuitable support. The socket member has a relatively deep recess 5 and arelatively shallow recess 6 communicating therewith and having a crosssectional area in excess of the cross sectional area of the recess 5, sothat a shoulder 7 is formed. The shallow recess 45 6 communicates with aguard-receiving recess 26, which may have a still greatercross-sectional area than the recess 6, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Thedescribed construction of the socket member provides an exteriorlyoverhanging flange, or petticoat 27, which accommodates a shield on theplug member, which will hereinafter be described, and which, bypreference and as shown, extends an appreciable distance beyond theshield when the plug and socket are connected. The provision of thepetticoat 27 serves effectively to prevent (Cl. 20G-127) the entrance ofmoisture, and foreign matter from the air, to the interior of the socketmember, to cause corrosion and impair the insulation of the live partsof the assembly. The shoulder 7 carries two sets of spring fingers 8 and9 having 60 binding posts l0 and 11 adjacent to the transverse openings12 and 13 through which the electric conductors may be introduced to befastened to the bindings posts in a well known manner.

The plug 2 is provided with a handle portion 65 14 extending outside ofthe socket and exposed to atmosphere so 'that it may be readily graspedto withdraw the plug from the socket. Between the plug and the handle 14is a transverse shield 15 which is receivable in the yrecess 26. Theplug 70 carries two knife contacts 16 and 17 which are receivablebetween the spring ngers 8 and 9.

Prior to my invention, means has been employed for connecting the knifecontacts 16 and 17, but such means was arranged on the exterior of theplug 2 so that when the means (usually a fuse) blew the gases wereforced out of the shallow recess above the handle 14, dependence beinghad solely upon the shield 15 to prevent burning of the lineman. With myinvention, however, I provide the plug element, including the plugproper and the handle with a longitudinal conduit or bore 18 in which islocated a fuse cartridge connected to the'contact 16. The fuse cartridgeconsists of a tube 19 of insu- 85 lating material having at one end ametallic cap 20 to receive a fuse ribbon 21 which will blow or disruptwhenever the surge in the line exceeds a determined limit. The fusibleribbon 21 is connected at its lower end to a conductor wire 22 90extending through the insulated portion of the fuse cartridge andthrough a passageway 23 in the handle, the wire passing out through theplug adjacent to the knife switch contact 17 to which it is fastened. Mypreference is, however, to form the ribbon 21 and conductor wire 22 of asingle piece of material. The fusible ribbon or element 21 is fastenedto the cap 20 by a screw 24. The lower end of the cap 20 is fastened tothe knife switch contact 16 by a screw 25, there- 100 fore current maypass from element 16 to cap 20, to fusible element 21 through wire 22 tocontact 17 or vice versa.

The switch will be closed, of course, when the plug is inserted in thesocket with the elements 16 and 17 received between the spring fingers 8and 9.

If the fuse element or ribbon 21 is disrupted or, in the nomenclature ofthe art, blows, the gases generated will blow through the tube 19 of the110 cartridge below the exposed end of the handle or hand grip 14 sothat danger of burning the hands of the lineman will he entirelyeliminated. This is important because with known types of fuse switchesthe baille or guard 15 not infrequently fails as a safety devicecausing, through its failure, very serious burns, whereas with myinvention such danger is entirely avoided.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

l. In a fuse switn, a hollow element comprising a plug and a handle, anapertured cartridge disposed in the hollow portion of the plug, saidcartridge being adapted to receive a fusible element, and a threadedelement extending through adjacent Walls of the plug and cartridge, andadapted to cooperate with the cartridge to hol-:l the fusible elementtherein, to prevent the passage of gases through the aperture when thefusible element is fused, and to position the cartridge with respect tothe plug.

L94aes4 2. In a fuse switch, a hollow plug having a tubular portion andan external Contact, a fuse cartridge having a conducting portiondisposed Within the tubular portion of the plug, and means, extendingthrough the wall of the plug, adapted to position the cartridge andconnect it With said Contact.

3. In a fuse switch of plug type, a tubular element having open ends andcomprising a plug provided with paired external contacts, and a handle,a cartridge including a fusible element, disposed in the plug andhandle, the cartridge having a metal cap at its inner end, the fusibleelement being electrically connected at one end with one of the contactson the plug, and at its opposite end to said cap, and means extendingthrough a wall of the plug, adapted to position the cartridge andconnect said cap to another plug Contact.

THOMAS B. BASH.

